1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in a partition plate which is used to divide a luggage compartment of an automotive vehicle into a main compartment and a sub-compartment for storing a spare tire and/or the like, and more particularly to a partition plate in which a locking device is provided to secure the partition plate to the luggage compartment even if either surface of the partition plate is faced to the sub-compartment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that a partition plate for dividing a luggage compartment is used for an automotive vehicle. Since such a partition plate has a relatively large flat surface and is detachable so that is can be removed from the luggage compartment, it has been proposed that the partition plate be used as a table in the outdoors upon its removal from the luggage compartment. The partition plate is the type which is reversibly usable.
An example of such a conventional partition plate 6 is shown in FIG. 14 of the present application, in which the partition plate 6 is detachably installed on a luggage floor 5 of a luggage compartment (no numeral). The partition plate 6 includes a locking device 10 with which the partition plate 6 is fixedly secured to a connecting member 9 formed at an end section 5a of the luggage floor 5. As shown in FIG. 14, the locking device 10 includes a housing member 11 installed to a recess of the partition plate 6, a control lever 12 formed at a depression of the housing 11, a locking member 13 connected to the control lever 12 and a spring 14 by which the locking member 13 is pushed to be under a locking condition. When the control lever 12 is rotated in the direction of an arrow F as indicated in FIG. 14, the locking member 13 is downwardly inclined and released from the connecting member 9 so that the partition plate 6 is unlocked from the luggage floor 5.
However, with this conventional arrangement, the locking device 10 is formed so that only one side of the partition plate 6 can be fixedly fitted to the luggage floor 5. Furthermore, when the partition plate 6 is installed on the luggage compartment, a clearance is formed between the locking device 10 and the luggage floor end section 5a, thereby degrading an external appearance of the luggage compartment.